Edge grinding machine for strip material



Oct. 26, 1943. P. E. cARRlcK EDGE GRINDING MACHINE FOR STRIP MATERIALFiled May 19, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet l y, y/j' Oct. 26, 1943.

P. E. cARRlcK EDGE GRINDING MACHINE FOR STRIP MATERIAL Filed May 19,1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Zac! farrz''.

Oct. 26,' 1943. P, E. cARRlcK EDGE GRINDING MACHINE FOR STRIP MATERIALFiled May 19, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

Oct. 26, 1943. P E, CARRlCK l 2,332,890

EDGE GRINDING MACHINE FOR STRIP MATERIAL Filed May 19, 1943 5Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

. 4h. MEQ/Wd Oct. 26, 1943. P. E. cARRlcKl EDGE GRINDING MACHINE FQR'STRIP MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a Filed may 19, 1945 on the line 6-6 ofFigure 1;

Patented Oct. 26, 1943 OFFICE EDGE GRINDING MACHINE ron STRIP MATERIALPaul E. Carrick, Birmingham, Mich. Application May 19, 1943, Serial No.487,609 6 claims. (o1. 51-78) Thepresent invention relates to anautomatic grinding machine for grinding a radius on strip v material. y

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a machineof rugged and simple construction for automatically feeding strip ma`terial past one or more grinding wheels `andescillating the workrelative to `the wheel during the grinding operation in order to form aradius on the material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a work supporting andfeeding means of the type mentioned `which is adapted for use inconnection with conventional grinding machines of `the type in which thegrinding wheel Spindle is carried at the end of an overhanging arm. d

Other objects ofthe invention will become apparent from the followingspecification, the drawings relating thereto, and from the claimshereinafter set forth. l

In the drawings, in which like numerals are used to designate like partsin the several views throughout: A

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the machine, including a fragmentaryillustration of the independent support `for the grinding wheels;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2, with parts broken away to show the interior construction;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse Section i taken on the line 4-4ofFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine with the grindingwheel and grindingwheel housings removed;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken Figure 'I is aperspective view of one form of workpiece upon which the `machine isadapted to operate; and 9 V Figure 8 is an end view showing thecondition of the workpiece prior to the grinding operation."

The machine selected for illustration is especially constructed to grinda radius on the forward edge of the type of bar employed in`constructing bullet-proof grilles utilized in armored vehicles toprotect radiatorsl etc.

As shown in Figure 7, the bar I0 is an `elongated, relatively flat barof somewhat tear-drop formation in section `which is provided with arounded forward edge II at itsthickestsection. This type of bar isnormally made by a rolling operation in which two sections are rolledsimul y taneously, as indicated by the dotted and full lines in Figure8, the thicker portions of the two seccult to machine and, consequently,the machine of the present invention is provided to grind olf theflanges or web projections and suitably round the forward edge. It willbe appreciated; however, that the machine of the present invention maybe adapted to form radius portions on any type of 'stripmaterial 1Referring toFigures `1 to 6 of the drawings, the machine comprises aframe, which may be of any suitable construction, consisting primarilyof four channel-shaped corner posts I5, I6, I'I and I8 connectedintermediate their ends by side plates 20 and end plates 2|. The upperends of legs I5 andIB are connected by across bar 22, while the upper'ends of legs I3' and I 'I are connected by a similar cross bar 23. Thespace above one `of the side plates 2|] is closed by a hinged panelconsisting of a rectangular framework 24 hinged at 25 to the legv I 5and at 26 to an upright corner post 2'I mounted on cross bar 22. Theframework 24 is closed by a panel indicated fragmentarily at 23, themain portion 'of the panel being broken away in Figure 1 to show theinterior of the machine. 'Ihe hinged panel 24 is provided at its freeedge with a pair of `projecting lugs 3U spaced `apart to receive theshankof an eyebolt 3|, which is pivoted on a pin 32 carried by a pair oflugs 33 fastened to a corner post 34 mounted onthe forward end of crossbar 23 and similar in construction to the corner post 21.

` Also mounted at either side of the machine adjacent the rear thereofis a pair of identical side plates 35, one of which is, shown in Figure2. The top rear edges of the side plates 35 are connected by a cross bar36, to which is xed intermediate its ends a pair of uprights 31connected by a plate 38.

A pin 39, fixed in the upper ends of the uprights 31, pivotally supportsa housing 4I! for a pair of grinding wheels 42. The housing 40 carries aforwardly extending coverplate 43 which rests upon the frame 24 at thefront of the machine. All ofthe remaining exposed portions of themachine are preferably enclosed by suitable fixed sheet metal panels,which have been omitted from the drawings for the sake of clarity.

The grinding wheels 42 form part of an independent grinding or buillngmachine of conventhe other.

tional construction, being mounted upon a spindle 44 carried at theextremity of an arm 45 and being driven by a V-belt 46 engaging a pulley4l.

Y The arm 45 is bifurcated and hence supports the grinding wheel spindleat each side of the housing 45. The arm, which carries a motor, notshown, for driving the belt, may be mounted in any conventional manner,as upon a vertical post upon which it may be adjustably positioned.`Conventional means are included inthe grinding machine for accuratelyadjusting the height of the extremity of arm 45', which carries thegrinding Wheels.

The grinding wheels are placed Vinthe'positi'ori r shown in the drawingsby lifting the pivoted cover 43 and moving the grinding Wheel intoposition, whereupon the cover may be replaced.

The machine includes a Work.'v supporting carriage, shown best inFigures 3, 4, 5 and 6, of geny erally box-like construction, including abottomV wall 55, a pair of end walls 5| and 52, and ai continuoussidewallli provided with a'pair of sion-ts 54 in the neighborhood of the`grinding Wheels. The opposite side ofv the carriage is formed by v'eidentically constructed, vertically extending.- plates 55, one locatedbetween the. wheels andy two located at; the outer sides of the Wheels.l,

The upper ,end of each of the plates Etuisnotched at its corners toreceive a pair of blocks 51. The blocks 5l for thel adjacent-corners oftliertivol outer pairs ofiplatesi 55 are formed as one piece, bridgingthe space between the'outer'pairs of plates. All of the blocks 57|pro-ject inwardly to support the top members of the Worksupportingcarriage. Thetcentralmembertf is provided with a-top member secured bycapscrews 6l]y to the blocks-5l' at-one end 'and tothe'wall 53 at Theouter of. plates 5S, shown at thev right-hand -sidei'oflligure 3;isconnected by top member 5! being secured by cap screws-E4 to the' blocks51 and-"to theI Wall'l.. Thefplates 55 are also connected to,` thelbottom Wall by;

means ofA cap screws 65;' In. consequencefof this arrangement, theplates 55 and the top plates 55 andil'maybe readilyremoved. ThecarriageV is provided With ve-identically constructed backing 'rollerslll, one beinglocatedopposite each ofthe sideplates 55: The backingrollers, as best shown in Figure 4, are provided With-a cylindricalsection li, a' fiange l2 at theY upper end of' e'aohrollerpanda radiusI3 connecting theiiange 12v/'ith the cylindrical portionv ll.

The radius 'E3 corresponds. to the radius at the edge of the workpiecemand, consequently; the backing rollers 'lli serve to'looate thevvorkstriptk thereto'by means of a key 85. Eachv of th'egears 19 Vmeshes witha gear 8l, which is formed' in-k tegrally with a roller 32 journaledbylmeans ofball bearings 33 on a spindle 3d. The spindle lliispivotallymountedV upon a pin 85 carried by a U-shaped bracket 85, which embracesthe spindle 84 and is xed'tocne of thel plates 55 by'y means of a `capVscrew Sli The lower end of the spindle del is connected by means of apin 5B to the bifurcated endofa bolt 8S, whichslidably projects throughVan opening in plate 55 and carries a spring-"gil, the` tension of Whichmay be adjusted byla pair of nuts 9 l. Y

As a result ofl this arrangement, it Will be apla Vcommon top member 5|'to the sidewallk 55, the

Spindle'l carriesy a gear '|39 secured* parent that the tension ofspring @il tends to swing thespindle 84 clockwise about the pin 85 andforce the roller X32 against the Work strip lil, thus holding it inproper relation with respect to the back-up roller l5.

The upper end of the spindle l84 is received Within an elongated slot 92formed in the top plate 6| or 59, as the case may be, it beingunderstood that there is one roller 82 yfor each of the back-up rollersTil and'that all of the rollers 82 are mounted in the same manner. Eachpair of gears 79 and 8| is housed by a housing 94, and

`oil seals 95 and 96 are mounted in the openings irrth'e'liousing Q4'and surround the hubs of the vgears T9 and 8i, respectively. Theopenings in plates 59 and 6|- through which the upper ends ofthe spindle'i6 project are closed by means of removable plates 5.8, while theopenings 92 are closed b y removable plates 59.

A'sheet metal housing |52 is located adjacent each of the. outer. pairs.of vertical plates 55 and contains the mounting. mechanism for a pair ofrollers |03 adapted to engage the bottomedge of. the Workstrip. in themanner best shownvin Figure 4, the rollers lil?, being provided withgrooves |54 forreceiving the bottom edge of the strip.. Between the.central plate 55 and each ofA the,` two outer pairs Vofpl'atesisa pairof hous ings |05, each of whichr houses the mounting mechanism for asingle roller iii'identical in construction and mode of operation to therollers |53. There are thus provided vek rollers like the rollers |53engaging the` bottomfedge ofthe v As best. shown in the brokenvawayportion of Figure 3 andfin Figures 4 and 5, the rollers |53 and v|56V are journaled on shouldered` bolts |51:

carried at the extremities of levers |58', Veach ofY which is pivotallymounted on a pin I'l carried at the upper end `of a standard Illi fixedto the lower Wall 5B of the carriage. The opposite extremities of thelevers Hi8 are-pvoted byapins to the heads of bolts H2,v which slid'ablyproject through openings in thefbottom Wall 55. A spring ||3.surroundseach bolt H2 and its tensionl may be adjusted by means of nuts VH11 inorder to adjust the force with which the rollers |53 are urged againstthe Work strip. A stop H5, itted in a suitable opening inthe bottom Wall5|), engages the leverv `|58 and limitsY movement of the lever in thevdirection in whichit advances the roller toward the Work. Y l

A pair of circular discs |25 is xed, respectively, to the end Walls 5|and 52 of the carriage. Each disc is provided with a peripheral grooveor roller track |2|, which is engagedV by seven circumferentiallyspacedrollers I2?. that are journaled.

by means of ball bearings on trunnions |23,.which project throughsuitable openings in the end plates .andV are secured in-V position bymeans of nuts |25. Asia result of this arrangement,

the carriage as a Whole may oscillate about anv axis passing through thecenter of vthe discs |20.

The discs are so arranged that this axis coincides withl the axis of theradius on the Work strip to be ground.

As best shown in Figure 6, end plate 52 has/aY bearing |31 secured tothe upperv edge of the end plate 5|. The outer end of the shaft |30carries ai sprocket |32, which4 may be driven fromz `bolts H2, but alsoa shaft |36 mounted at spaced points along its length in bearing`s-il3`1secured by means of cap 'screws |38 to a downwardly projecting portionof the side wall 53. The bearings |31 support the shaft |36 in the planeof the axes of the back-up rollers |10. The lower spindle on eachback-up rollercarries a bevel gear |40 which meshes with a` bevel gear|4| mounted on the shaft |36, there being one bevel gear |'4| for eachof the back-up rollers.

As best shown in Figure 3, the right-hand extremity of the shaft |36carries a ratchet wheel |43 and a double armed link |44, one arm ofwhich lies on each side of the ratchet wheel |43 and is journaled on theshaft |36. A pawl |45 is pivotally carried on a pin |46 mounted on thelever |44 between the arms of the lever |44; and a leaf spring |41,fixed to the lever by means of screws, normally urges the pawl intoengagement with the ratchet wheel. The lower end of the lever |44carries a pin |48 onwhich is journaled a roller |49.

As best shown in Figure 2, when the carriage is oscillated in acounterclockwise direction to its extreme position, the shaft |36 swingsfrom its lower position, in which itV supports the lever |44 in theposition shown` in solid lines, to the position indicated in dottedlines by the numeral |36. During this movement the roller |49 on the endof the lever |44 hits a ratchet operating member 50, thereby swingingthe arm |44 clockwise about the shaft |36 and, consequently, rotatingthe ratchet wheel and the shaft |36 through a small portion of onerevolution. This rotation of the shaft |35 is transmitted through gears|40 and |4| to the back-up rollers 19 and by the gears 19 and 8| to therollers 82, thereby rotating all of the rollers 10 and 82 in a directionto feed the strip lengthwise by an amount slightly less than the widthof the grinding wheels 42.

It will be observed that this work feeding movement occurs when thecarriage is at one of its extreme positions of oscillation and that,moreover, it occurs during the time in which the grinding wheels 42 areout of contact with that portion of the work strip indicated by thebracket |52 in Figure 4 which requires grinding.

The ratchet operating member is pivoted on a pin |54 fixed in an arm |55carried at the upper end of a lever |55, which is pivoted by means of ashouidered cap screw |51 to a block |58 fixed to the corner post l1. Anelongated opening |59 formed in the member |59 receives a pin |59carried by the member |55 and thus limits the oscillation of the member|50 about its pivot pin |54. A spring |5| is mounted be-` tween thelower end of the member |50 and the member |56 and normally tends toseparate the two, thereby forcing the upper end of the member |50 to theleft, as viewed in Figure 2, The pivotal mounting of the member |50,together with the spring l'l, cushions the shock incident t`o contactbetween the member |50 and the roller |49.'

in order to adjust the feed of the work, the position of the member |50may be shifted by swinging vertical arm |56 about its pivot |51.

This is accomplished by means of a threaded bar |62, which passesthrough suitable openings in the side wallmember 20, and a bracket |63mounted on the side wall. A pair of nuts |64 threaded on the member |62at opposite sides` of the bracket |63 may be rotated to adjustl theposition of thethreaded bar |62 and lock itin adjusted position.Theinner end of the threaded bar |62 carries a member |65 provided witha slot |66, which receives a pin |61 carried bythei member |55.Consequently, `adjustment of the position of the threaded bar 62 adjuststhe position of the member |55 and arm |56 about the pivot |51 and thuscontrols the distance which the work is fed on each oscillation.

l As best shown in Figure 2, the side plates 35 are provided withcircular openings of approximately the diameter of the discs |2ii, sothat the ends ofthe carriagev are exposed at either end of the machine.The discs |20 are also provided with openings Athrough which the workstrip may be inserted, anda trough formed of three plate members |10,|1| and |12 is fixed by means of a plate |13 to each vdisc |20 in orderto guide the work strips entering andleaving the machine. A pair ofhorizontal plates` |14 is secured to the trcughmemb'er'at Veither' sidethereof to give it transverse rigidity.v i i The operation` of themachine will be obvious from the previous description.l Itis onlynecessaryto positionthe grinding wheels accurately with respect -to thecarriage and start one of the strips by hand by placing it in the troughat the entering side-ofthe machine and forwardj ing it into a positionwhere it will be engaged by the rollers 1li and 82. From-then on themachine@A automatically oscillates the Work'back and forth about `theaxis of` the carriage and feeds the work step by step past the grindingwheels. The work feeding movement occurs during an idle portion oftheoscillating-stroke of theparriage and, consequently, will not interferewith the grinding operation.

Any desired number of wheels maybe employed. It will be observed,however, that in the `machine illustrated, employing two wheels, eachportion of the surface to be ground is subject, to four grindingoperations due to the fact that the work is oscillated in one directionand then returned in contact with the wheel between each Work feedingstep and the fact that the two wheels are operating simultaneously. Theangle of oscillation may be readily adjusted to accommodate a radius ofany desired arc by varying thelength of the crank arm |29, and the imachine illustrated is adapted for use in connection with an independentgrinding machine of conventional construction, the machine mayincorporate its own grinding wheel spindle support and be aself-contained complete machine Without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for supporting and feeding strip material to a grindingwheel for grinding a radius on the strip material comprising astationary frame, Aa Work supporting carriage pivotall-y mounted 'on theframe yand adapted to support strip material with the axis of the radiusto be ground onthe material coinciding Withftheaxi's of pivotal mountingof the carriage, means to axis of pivotal mounting vof tine carriage,means to o's'cillate the carriage, and means on the carvri'age forfeeding the Work endwise step by step upon the completion of 'each cycleof oscillation of said carriage', f

2l. A mechanism 'for supporting `and feeding strip material to agrinding Wheel for grinding a radius on the strip material comprising afstationary frame, a Work supporting 'carriage pivotally mounted 'on theframe and 'adapted' to sup'- port strip material with the axisuof theradius to be ground on the'material cci in`cidingk with `the axis vofpivotal mounting of tnec'arriage, means to oscillate the carriage aboutan arc in excess of the 'arc of the radius to be ground, and means tofeed thework 'endwise R'step bystep upon the completicn of each cycleo-foscillation of said carriage .when the grinding Wheel is out of contactwithv the surface of the Work requiring grinding. .Hej-A. mechanism forsupporting and feeding n stripmaterial to a grinding Wheel for grindinga. i radius' on'the strip material comprising 'a frame,

a Work supporting carriage pivotally mounted on the frame on an axisparallel to the grinding Wheel axis, a plurality of rollers jou'rnaledon said carrivage and adapted to engage' and locate a work strip formovement in a di-rectionparallel tothe grinding Wheel yaxiswith thecenter, of the radius to `beground onthe lworkpiece located-on the axisof -tnepivotal mounting of the carri-age, means to oscillatethecarriage, and means to rotate said rollers and thus feed the Work pastther grinding Wheel.

-5. A mechanism for supporting fand feeding strip material to agrindingWheel for grinding a radius on thestrip material comprising a frame, aA.Work supporting carriage pivotally mounted on the frame on an axisparallel to the grinding Wheel axis, aplurality of rollers journaled onsaid carr-iage and adapted to engage and locate a Work f' strip formovement in a direction parallel to the grinding Wheel axis with `thecenter of the radius to loe-ground -on the workpiece located on the axisof the pivotal mounting of the carriage, means to oscillate thecarriage, and means to rotate said rollers and thus feed the Work pastthe grinding wheel step by step upon the completion of each cycle of`oscillation of said carriage.

6. A mechanism for supporting and feeding str-ip material to a grindingwheel for grinding a radius `on the strip material comprising a frame, aWork supporting carriage pivotally mounted on the frame on an axisparallel to the grinding wheel axis, a plurality of rollers journaled onsaid carriage and adapted to engagerand locate a Work strip Vformovement in a direction parallel to the grinding wheel axis with thecenter of the radius to be ground on the workpiece located lon the axiso-f the pivotal mounting of the carriage, means to osci-llate thecarriage about an arc in excess oi' the arc of the radius to be ground,and means to rotate said rollers and thus feed the Work` past tinegrinding Wheel -step yby step upon the completion of each cycle `ofoscillation of -said carriage when the grinding Wheel is out of contactwith the surface of the Work requiring grinding.

- PAUL E. CARRICK.

